Tales of the Tarot
by stsenna
Summary: Matilda had always had a well known association with her playing cards, but nobody had yet seen exactly what she was capable of when given the time.
1. Chapter 1

**Tales of the Tarot**

With war raging on over the world and my overall indecision, it was no surprise that by 1943, the Italians decided that they needed to invade my little country. With mon frere under German occupation, I was pretty much defenceless, there's no denying that. However, even one as militarily unknowing as me could see that all the gains in Europe that the Axis had made were crumbling away. I could see that both Italies were desperate to earn a victory, even one so small as the occupation of a small area with a nice harbour.

As the Axis' situation deteriorated further, the Italians and their fascist hierarchy left to be replaced by the equally unstable Germans. I could tell that something was wrong with the nation on France's eastern frontier, now and in the near future.

Even without my cards.

Despite his reputation at the time, however, Herr Deutschland was surprisingly respectful and even allowed me to remain in peace at home for the most part. In all honesty, I felt like his bosses wanted nothing to do with me. That I was just some French girl left to then by the Italians after their surrender, but if it meant I didn't have to turn as right wing as those around me, I accepted the situation. There was one instance in particular though, where I received a visit from the occupying nation and things got very interesting from my point of view, though he was probably quite worried even if he was probably the least superstitious nation I knew.

This day came in the latter stages of May 1944. It was mid-morning by the time I heard the knock on my door. I went down the stairs of my room, which was on top of a casino as you'd expect, and opened the door to the stoic blonde man in his grey uniform. However, what was unusual about him was that he was so incredibly pale, even to the point of appearing shaky. I'd heard he was losing ground in North Africa and Eastern Europe, but I never imagined what damage this had all done to him. Despite this, I appeared unaffected; a skill you pick up when involved with gambling as much as I am, and addressed him politely, fiddling with my glasses slightly.

"Bonjour Allemagne. Can I be of assistance to you and your Reich?" I had to be formal. Inside, I was too worried not to be. Considering how unstable and out of character he seemed, one wrong move and I could end up in a lot of trouble. However, he merely nodded in reply and spoke in a somewhat subdued voice.

"Guten tag Matilda." He said. He had always called me by my human name, so I knew that he wasn't completely a changed nation. I could tell that the uniform and salutes merely held up a façade. Germany would end up a stable republic, not a fascist thousand year Reich like he was pretending and I was prepared to show him this.

"Please come in. I'm sure you have something to discuss with me." I said, making way and leading him into my home. Again, he murmured in response

"I need to check that you haven't been relaying information to the resistance, or the French." He added particular venom to the last part of the sentence, but this was to be expected. The two had spent years at each other's throats, but they would soon be cordial. I could feel it.

"I've been very well guarded and haven't left my own borders…It's not in my ways to be causing trouble, especially when I'd have no chance at success." I paused for a moment, rubbed my eye beneath my glasses and smiled at him, kindly "Please take a seat in here, you don't want to be travelling so soon." I opened the door to one of my playing rooms and smiled. The room was dimly lit so far and all that was really obvious from a quick glance was that there was a large table in the middle of the room and two seats on opposite sides. However, there was a lot more to this place, which Germany would soon find out. He smiled a little, politely, his ruse of stoic fascism not needing to be kept up around me, since he knew me and I wasn't a superior in his hierarchy. Germany entered the room and took one of the seats, while I swiftly turned the lights on and took the dealer's seat.

Germany looked a little puzzled as I sat down, for in front of me were 54 playing cards, laid out face down in 3 rows of 18 cards each. I looked up at him slightly, his height still towering over my own, and smiled. "Allow me to show you something, s'il vous plait?" I asked in my politest tone of voice "I haven't been able to perform for anyone for a long time. Your officers show no interest and my visitors besides them are very few nowadays." I knew that sympathy for a younger woman would help sway the German, but that was just an added bonus to knowing him for such a long time. He sighed and nodded "Fine. I suppose a little gimmick or two couldn't hurt."

"Merci beaucoup." I said, smiling and adjusting my glasses, then my long blonde braid. He couldn't have known at the time that what I would show him would go far beyond the level of any gimmick. To anyone other than myself these just seemed like normal playing cards, but I could easily use them as tarot cards. Germany was about to find out about his future from the little Monégasque girl that he and his officers had pushed aside as "useless". Was I bitter? Arguably so. Did that affect what I would tell him? No. It wasn't his fault that he'd soon be punished for the actions of his leaders after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I looked down at the table of cards in front of me and then back up at the less than interested spectator. He just wanted me to get on with it so he could leave and go back to sitting behind a desk and pushing a pen around. I decided to be blunt, since I severely doubted he wanted to waste time with metaphors and symbolism. He was a man of logic and facts for the most part and that's what I would give him.

"Tres bien…let's begin." I said, staring down at my cards and ignoring his facial expressions for now, since I could probably predict his reactions and I had a lot of information to deliver and not a lot of patience from the other person in order to give me a lot of time to do so. Seemingly expressionless and fixated on my cards, I quickly turned the first over.

"Heed my word Herr Deutschland….what I tell you today will help you brace yourself for what is ahead. I ask that you remain quiet until my predictions are complete. The thousand year Reich you are expected to be…" I spoke slowly and softly, I had a feeling it would be more fitting for the pokerfaced "casino girl" image I almost fit into, compared to the hardened military man.

"So far it has been 11 years." I continued, analysing the card I could now see "The ace here represents how much longer you should expect it to last. One. Disappointingly for you, not one millennium, century or decade, but one year." I imagine he'd have been half surprised, the signs of wear were already appearing in his war plans, but he'd have been disbelieving due to his nature. I reached for the next card "This four of diamonds tells me of a division of your nation and land after the collapse of your fascist hierarchy." There was no need for me to pause for thought; the cards were telling me what to say and my knowledge of Germany's behaviour and personality meant I could easily tell that he just wanted me to get it over with, so I moved swiftly on.

"Mon frere will be involved in this division, but this division into four will soon be replaced by division into…" I flipped over another card "Two. However, it is of diamonds, representing prosperity arising from the ashes of the Reich, despite what seems like an abysmal situation in which your country will be reduced to Stunde Null…" The idea of that probably didn't make any sense to someone like him, but it would happen, surely.

I moved over to the cards on my left hand side and carried on "In the west, such recovery will be aided by…" Not only did this give away what the division would entail, but my words most likely became more difficult to believe. I turned over the next card. "…Three of clubs. This displays the three major western powers who will aid this recovery." I paused and had to prevent a smirk from appearing across my face "Yes. France is one of them." I said firmly, the thought probably horrifying him deep down.

Moving on, I spoke again "Once left to your own devices, your government will become a strong, stable democracy." I imagined that considering the problems relating to his government before the Nazis, the word "democracy" sent a chill down his spine. The word was almost taboo in a usually totalitarian and militaristic nation. But I continued to turn over a card, the Jack of spades "Much stronger and reliable than that which ended around 11 years ago." I needed to give him at least some reassurance, to put my own conscience at rest whether or not he was listening to me fully and properly.

I then moved over to the right hand side of the table, this time turning over five or six cards before speaking again. "Notice the correlation between all of these cards?" I put the rhetorical question to him before swiftly providing my own answer "All hearts and diamonds. A lot of red in the east." I almost feared what I was about to say, so I had to pause and come to terms with it myself "Communism. In the east and beyond." I shuddered at the word. If there was one thing that Germany, I and even his insane boss would agree on, it was our collective hatred and fear of that political system. If their power remained unhindered, there'd be no telling how much they'd change things for me. Gambling would be decadent. I'd lose my riches, prestige and fame. I feared the idea of losing everything I loved to the reds. Not that I'd consider fascism a better solution, though.

After another pause for thought, probably for both of us considering how he hated Communism and the USSR much more than I, I felt comforted by the next two cards I revealed in that area. "A five of spades and nine of clubs. Communist influence in Europe will fade drastically around 45 years after the end of this war." I felt the need to say this in a particularly straight forward fashion to help settle both of us. I began to move towards the middle and left of the table again, turning over the eight of hearts and the two of spades

"There will be another significant economic failure in the distant future, around 20 years after this collapse. However, its severity will pale in comparison to the Wall Street Crash of 80 years before, you'll be happy to know." It had been all doom and gloom so far, so I needed to now emphasise the positives. "Amongst all this, however, you'll be considered the one to go to for help. The one to listen to for once." I smiled and looked up at him for the first time in a long time. To my surprise, his eyes were wide and he was listening attentively. I gave him a kind smile and turned over another two cards "In a way, you'll be seen as the king of Europe and your chancellor, the queen."

At this, Germany broke his silence "Impressive…I'll have a democratically elected female chancellor?" He seemed astonished by such a concept, so I decided to confirm it "Exactly. Don't worry. Make your way through the difficulties and the better times will come." I smiled more sweetly as he stood up.

"I'll have to take my leave…" He replied, the slightest smile on his face "Danke. I'll have to wait and see won't I?"

I giggled a little, reverting to the more friendly persona I usually uphold "Of course. Oh, and…" I turned over two final cards, a six and a joker "In the early sixties, listen out. America's boss is a doughnut." I was stifling my laugh and even forced a grin from Germany as he found his way out of my home. I hoped he'd use this to prepare for the worst and look forward to the best. Mon frere may have his gripes with him, but I had no such issues. I wished him all the best for the time period I foresaw and beyond.


End file.
